Process for the improvement of the properties of iron-beryllium alloys



Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORG MASING, OF BERLIN, AND OTTOv DAHL, OF BERLTN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GER- MANY, ASSIGNORS T0 SIEMENS & HALSKE, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF SIEMENS- STADT, NEAR- BERLIN, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY PROCESS'FOR THE IMPROVEMENT 015 THE PRDPEBTIES 0F IRON-BEBYLLIUM ALLOYS Ho Drawing. Application filed April 5, 1928,'Seria1 No. 267,796, and in Germany April 12, 1927.

The present invention relates to a new and useful process for the improvement "of' ciently quickly cooled in air or by quenching for instance from temperatures above 550 C- and up to about 1200 C. and, if desired, submittedoto a second heating to a lower temperature of. about 250 to 500 C. In an alloy with a beryllium proportion of about 4%, a hardness of approximatelyGOO Brinell was obtained by the process described, whilst the hardness after the quenching and before the second heating amounted to about 320 Brinell.

The process according to the invention 'is also applicable with success for iron-beryllium alloys which contain up to about 40% of one or more other elements such as aluminium, nickel, copper, tin, zinc, cadmium, cobalt or some percents of carbon or silicium. Sometimes it isadvisable to combine the thermic treatment with a preliminary mechanical working, as for instance hammering or rolling. The impro'vement'of the properties takes place in the case of cast alloys as well as of rolled alloys of the kind mentioned. The beryllium percentage preferably lies below 13.

What we claim as our invention and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of increasing the hardness, strength and tenacity of iron-beryllium alloys having a beryllium content of not greater than thirteen percent, which comprises heating such alloys to a temperature of at least 550 C. and then quickly cooling said alloys.

2. A method of increasing the hardness, strength and tenacity of iron-beryllium alloys having a beryllium content of not greater thanthirteen percent, which comprises heating such alloy:l to a temperature of at least 550 0., quic y cooling said a1- loys and then re-heating said alloys to a lower temperature.

3. A method of increasing the'lhardness, strength and tenacity of iron-beryllium alloys having a beryllium content of not greater than thirteen percent, which comprises heating such alloys to a temperature of at least 550 0., quickly cooling said alloys, and then. I e-heating said alloys to a temperature between 250 and 350 C.

4.-A method of increasing the hardness,

strength and tenacity of alloys containing iron, up to 13% of beryllium and up to e0% of a metal selected from the group comprising aluminum, nickel, copper, tin, zinc, cad- -mium and cobalt, which comprises heating said alloys to a temperature of at least 550 0., quickly cooling the same, and-then are-heating said alloys to a lower tempera ture.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

' GEORG MASING.

OTTO DAHL. 

